Don’t Mess with your Guests!

Guests are the life blood of events. Their ticket purchases fund the entire event production, along with sponsors, if you have them. They are the critics that decide whether your event was a success or not, and whether future potential guests should attend. They’re also the photographers, videographers, and bloggers that cement the event reputation long after everybody has gone home. Your guests are incredibly important. So don’t mess with them! Using SquadUP as a tool to help event hosts organize everything is a good start. But there’s more. Here’s how to keep them happy, or at least not angry enough to take their complaints to the world via social media.

1. Wifi

via www.quickmeme.com

Make sure their is substantial wifi coverage! You may be thinking that you’d prefer that your guests engage in person, rather than through their mobile devices. Or you may be thinking that if there’s no wifi at least guests won’t be able to get on twitter to complain. You’d be wrong about both. Of course you want guests engaging in person at your event but the two are not mutually exclusive. You really non-event goers to have the chance to join in on the discussion, and have access to pictures, videos and comments that prove how amazing the event is and what they’re missing out on.

2. Uncertainty

via makememe.org

Guests are going to want to explore a space for themselves and there will be wanderers no matter how much direction and structure the host provides. But the structure is necessary. Guests feel neglected and like an event was poorly planned when they’re not being catered to. So do it! Treat it like a kindergarten class: provide plenty of activity stations designed just for them, have plenty of snacks and drinks available, and, with a little luck, they’ll go down for nap time before you know it.

3. Slow Guest Sign-in

via http://memegenerator.net/

Don’t make your guests wait. They paid, they showed up, now the rest is on you to ensure they have a positive experience. Much of their experience stems from the mindset they have walking in. If they’re thinking to themselves, “hmm, this event is going to be awful,” then you’re already digging yourself out of a hole. A long line to get in or any perceived areas of inefficiency will lead to negative guest energy, even before they get in.

As a guest, what really grinds your gears? Let us know in the comments section or by tweeting @squadup so that we can pass the information on to our event hosts.